Calm borders in J&K for 5th consecutive day

Jammu, (IANS) Many families returned home to villages along the International Border (IB) and the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu as calm prevailed for the fifth consecutive day on Saturday.

Scores of families returned to their daily routine of normal activities reaping crops, tending to livestock while children resumed classes in border villages in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Poonch and Rajouri districts.

Both the Pakistan Rangers and the Indian Army maintained quiet along the IB and LoC.

Farmers in R.S. Pura sector started harvesting their ‘Basmati’ rice crop, famous for its flavour and grain quality.

Similar agricultural activities were seen in Suchetgarh, Samba, Hira Nagar, Kathua and other places.

Scores of cattle left to stray as owners migrated following the indiscriminate Pakistan shelling, were also tended to by the owners.

Schools that were shut in areas affected by the shelling were re-opened and children returned to their classes after almost a fortnight.

Around 400 schools in five districts were affected by the shelling.

Highest level of alertness by the Indian Army on the LoC and the Border Security Force on the IB continued in Jammu and Kashmir.

Defence ditches dug in areas away from the range of Pakistan shelling continued to be manned by the Army. However, they did allow the villagers to return to their homes beyond these ditches.